Amazing 1 Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

If you are tired of a mountain of dishes after a weeknight dinner, then you absolutely need to try this One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake. Seriously, this recipe is a game-changer! The best part is how incredibly flavorful it is—juicy chicken smothered in a rich, cheesy green chili sauce—but the cleanup is practically nothing. That’s what I live for!

Hi, I’m Anna, and I’m a passionate food lover who believes cooking should add joy, not stress, to your day. My goal is always to share simple, flavorful chicken recipes that make your everyday cooking easier. This creamy, cheesy chicken bake is proof that you don’t need tons of time or complicated steps to get a dinner everyone will rave about.

Why You Will Love This One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

I’ve made this dish dozens of times when I need dinner on the table fast, and it never disappoints. It hits all the right notes for busy cooks like us. You’ll be reaching for this recipe again and again!

• Prep time is lightning fast—we’re talking under 15 minutes before it hits the oven.
• Minimal cleanup! Everything cooks right in that one skillet or baking dish.
• It packs such an intense, savory, cheesy flavor that makes it feel special.
• It’s naturally low in carbs, so it fits perfectly into many different eating plans.
• Trust me, this creamy green chili sauce is so good; your family will be asking for seconds!

Essential Components for the One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

Getting this perfect creamy green chili sauce starts with having all your components ready to go. Since this is a quick bake, we don’t want to waste time hunting around the kitchen once the searing starts. The absolute most important thing—and I mean *critical*—is making sure that cream cheese is truly soft. If it’s straight from the fridge, your sauce will be lumpy, and that’s just sad.

We are scaling this recipe to feed four hungry people, so the measurements below are spot on for making sure every piece of chicken gets a generous blanket of that cheesy goodness. Lay everything out on your counter before you start heating the oil!

Ingredient List Overview

Here is exactly what you need for four servings of this incredibly easy chicken dinner. Remember what I said about the cream cheese? Make sure it’s soft enough to whip easily with the sour cream and broth. Everything else is pretty straightforward!

Component	Amount
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts	1 1/2 pounds (about 3 to 4 pieces, 1 inch thick)
Kosher Salt	1 teaspoon
Black Pepper	1/2 teaspoon
Ground Cumin	1 teaspoon
Chili Powder	1/2 teaspoon
Olive Oil	1 tablespoon
Diced Green Chiles (drained)	1 4 ounce can
Cream Cheese (softened!)	4 ounces
Sour Cream	1/2 cup
Low Sodium Chicken Broth	1/4 cup
Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)	1 cup
Cheddar Cheese (shredded)	1/2 cup
Fresh Cilantro (chopped, for garnish)	2 tablespoons

Necessary Equipment for the One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

Since the magic of this dish is minimizing cleanup, you need to make sure your main vessel is up to the task. We rely almost entirely on just one piece of cookware here! Grab your biggest, most trustworthy oven-safe skillet—cast iron is fantastic if you have one. If not, a sturdy 9×13 baking dish works perfectly too.

• Large, oven-safe skillet or baking dish (9×13 size works well)
• Small mixing bowl for the sauce
• Whisk or fork for blending the sauce
• Meat thermometer (this is non-negotiable for perfect chicken!)
• Measuring cups and spoons

Step-by-Step Guide to Making the One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

This is where the magic happens, and honestly, it flies by! Because this is a one-pan wonder, we want to do things in order so we don’t dirty up extra bowls unnecessarily. Just follow these steps, and you’ll have a stunning, flavorful dinner ready in under 45 minutes total.

Preparation and Searing the Chicken

First things first: get that oven heated up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease whatever oven-safe skillet or baking dish you’ve chosen. Now, let’s season the chicken breasts. Remember, we want flavor deep down in there, not just on the outside! Pat your chicken dry—this helps us get a nice sear. Season generously with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder. Make sure both sides are coated!

Heat that tablespoon of olive oil in your skillet over medium-high heat. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the hot oil and sear them for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. They should look lightly golden brown when you flip them. Don’t worry if they aren’t cooked through yet; we just want that initial color and flavor barrier before they go into the oven.

Creating the Creamy Green Chili Sauce

While the chicken is searing, quickly whip up the sauce in a separate bowl. This is the key to that luxurious texture! Take your softened cream cheese—remember, soft!—and combine it with the 1/2 cup of sour cream, the drained 4-ounce can of green chiles, and the 1/4 cup of chicken broth. Whisk it vigorously until it’s perfectly smooth. If you see any lumps of cream cheese, keep whisking! Nobody wants a bumpy green chili sauce.

Assembling and Baking the One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

Once the chicken is seared, it’s time to assemble. If you seared the chicken in a skillet that isn’t oven-safe, transfer it now to your baking dish. Spoon that beautiful, creamy green chili mixture evenly over the top of every chicken breast. Make sure they are completely covered!

Next comes the best part: the cheese! Sprinkle the 1 cup of Monterey Jack and the 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese right over the sauce. Pop the whole thing, uncovered, into your preheated 400-degree oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. You absolutely must check the temperature with a meat thermometer; we need the thickest part of the chicken to hit a safe 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t skip that thermometer check, please!

Resting and Finishing Touches

When it comes out of the oven, it’s going to be bubbling hot and look amazing, but you have to show restraint for just five minutes! Let that low carb chicken bake rest right there in the pan for 5 minutes. This lets the juices redistribute so your chicken stays juicy. Finally, sprinkle those 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro over the top for a bright, fresh pop of flavor right before you serve it up.

Tips for Perfecting Your One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

I’ve made this so many times now that I’ve learned a few little tricks to make sure it comes out perfect every single time, especially on those nights when the chicken breasts are acting weirdly thick. Don’t stress, we can handle it!

First, let’s talk thickness. The recipe calls for chicken breasts about an inch thick, which cooks beautifully in that 20-minute window. If yours are massive—say, almost two inches thick—they won’t cook through properly before the cheese burns. My trick is to place the thick breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound them with a meat mallet or even the bottom of a heavy pan until they are more uniform. This ensures even cooking, and you won’t have dry edges and raw centers!

Second, watch your salt! The chicken broth, cheese, and canned chiles all bring sodium to the party. I wrote the recipe with 1 teaspoon of salt, but if you use regular broth instead of low sodium, or if your cheese blend is extra salty, you might want to cut that down to just 3/4 teaspoon initially. You can always sprinkle a tiny bit more salt on your individual plate at the end, but you can’t take it out once it’s baked in!

Finally, when you mix that creamy green chili sauce, taste it before it goes on the chicken! This is your last chance to adjust the seasoning. If you want a little more zing, a tiny splash of lime juice works wonders with the green chiles, or if you want more depth, a small dash of smoked paprika mixed in really boosts that cumin flavor.

Ingredient Notes and Simple Swaps

I know sometimes we have to make do with what’s in the fridge, and that’s totally fine! This One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake is forgiving, especially when it comes to the cheese topping. The key structural components—the chicken, the chiles, and the cream cheese—should stay consistent for the best result.

If you run out of Monterey Jack, don’t sweat it! You can easily substitute it with an equal amount of Pepper Jack if you want a little hidden heat, or even Mozzarella if you prefer a milder melt. The sharp tang of the Cheddar is really important for balancing the richness of the sauce, so try not to skip that half cup if you can help it. If you don’t have Cheddar, use Colby Jack instead.

For the broth, if you happen to be out of low-sodium chicken broth, water works in a pinch, but you’ll definitely need to increase the salt slightly in your chicken seasoning mix to compensate for the missing flavor. You could also use vegetable broth if that’s what you have handy; the flavor change will be minimal under all that cheese and chili!

And just a quick note on the chiles: Make sure they are drained well. If they are sitting in liquid when you mix them into the cream cheese, your sauce might end up too thin to properly coat the chicken, and we want that thick, rich blanket!

Storing and Reheating Leftover One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

Oh boy, leftovers from this creamy green chili chicken bake are almost as good as the first night, provided you store them right! This dish holds up really well, which is fantastic for meal prepping lunches for the week. The important thing is to cool it down quickly and store it airtight so that cheesy topping doesn’t get weird in the fridge.

Once the dish has cooled down completely—let it sit on the counter for about an hour after dinner—you need to get it into the refrigerator within two hours, just to be safe. It should keep beautifully for about three to four days. Don’t try to keep it longer than that, though; the chicken is best when fresh!

When you go to reheat it, you have a choice depending on how much time you have. If you want that topping gooey and that chicken juicy again, the oven is your best bet. If you’re starving and need one serving fast, the microwave is faster but can sometimes make the sauce a little grainy if you overheat it. Try to keep the reheating gentle!

Storage Duration	Best Reheating Method
3 to 4 Days	Oven (Covered lightly with foil at 325°F until heated through)
1 to 2 Servings	Microwave (Use 50% power in short bursts to reheat gently)

Frequently Asked Questions About the One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake

I get so many questions about this recipe because everyone loves how easy it is, but they want to make sure they get that creamy green chili sauce just right! Here are a few things I hear most often when people are making this low carb chicken dinner for the first time.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts in this One Pan Green Chili Bake?

Oh yes, absolutely! Chicken thighs are actually fantastic because they stay juicier than breasts, even if you accidentally overcook them a tiny bit. Since thighs are usually thinner and have more fat, you’ll want to reduce the baking time slightly—maybe start checking them around 15 minutes. They should still hit that 165-degree mark internally, but they cook a little faster than thick breasts.

How do I make this recipe spicier?

If you like things hot, it’s super easy to turn up the heat in this bake! The 4-ounce can of green chiles is usually mild, so for immediate heat, try adding 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper right into your sour cream and cream cheese mixture. Or, even better, use hot diced green chiles instead of mild if your store carries them. A few dashes of your favorite pepper sauce stirred into the sauce works wonders too!

Is this One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake truly low carb?

It really is! This recipe is naturally low carb because we aren’t adding any rice, potatoes, or flour thickeners. The main ingredients are chicken, cheese, sour cream, and chiles. As long as you stick to the core ingredients listed, you’re looking at a very low carbohydrate count per serving. It’s a winner for anyone watching their carb intake! If you are looking for more low carb chicken inspiration, check out my Cream Cheese Chicken Bake.

Share Your One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake Experience

I really hope this One Pan Green Chili Chicken Bake makes your next busy weeknight feel a little less stressful and a lot more delicious! I put so much love into sharing these simple, flavorful chicken recipes, and knowing they work for you is what keeps me cooking and writing. For more easy weeknight ideas, see my Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas Hack.

When you make this, please come back and tell me all about it! Did your family love the creamy green chili sauce? Did you try any of the spice tricks I mentioned? Drop a rating down below—five stars if it saved your dinner plans! Your comments and feedback help other busy cooks decide if this easy chicken dinner is right for them. I can’t wait to read what you think! You can also follow along for more recipe inspiration on Pinterest. If you are interested in other ways to cook chicken breasts, take a look at my guide on Oven Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken.

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